Has any ever painted the interior trim pieces?
 

My 4.6is has Cosmos Black interior trim pieces instead the usual wood. I watched a few videos from some e46 guys and they were able to paint their trim pieces. Sure it looks like a lot of prep work to get it looking right but it sure seems better than just wrapping it in vinyl.

Has anyone tried this and how has it worked out long term for you?

Your trim is rare and desirable - don't paint it :)

On the wood trim you'd need to scuff, adhesion promoter, and primer before paint at a minimum as its very smooth and glossy -

+1

Sell it and buy some old cracked wood trim on FleaBay. I have a whole brand new set of that cosmos trim just waiting for a time after my seals go and I have 'f you' money in my maintenance fund. :whistle:

I was actually thinking about painting all of the interior pieces Cosmos Black as well. I would not want to sell the pieces off of the 4.6is.

Wrapping the trim works fine. I have had my hood and mirrors wrapped for a couple of years and it goes through an automatic carwash once a week and it still looks brand new.

If you wrap it you can always go back and trim will be fine. Regardless of how rare the trim is it will not increase the sell value. Make the mods that please you most.

+2

Cosmos trim is very nice. It won't increase the value of your X5 any, but the trim itself is worth MUCH more than the standard burl or any other wood (excepting the uber rare dark grey wood) for that matter.

Hell, depending on the extremes of the market the cosmos trim may be worth more than the whole X5. :) Fully onboard with the recommendation to buy and edit something else.

In order for something to have more value than other option it has to be both special and in demand. Demand means there are significantly more buyers than the product availability and there is no realistic path to duplicate that product.

When demand is significant and forecasted to at least maintain a level of volume to realize a return on the investment there will be aftermarket competition, more often than not, better than the original product. Another indication there is demand is if many of any version of that same product is available for sale in a broad reaching sales network, such as eBay. Finally, there will be indications that, in this case, the X5 will appreciate.

Short story--if you have cosmos trim and you think hundreds of X5 owners are spending sleepless nights trying to find a set, sell it now.

Really, only one person is needed to buy the trim they want at the price anyone is willing to sell it.

The cosmos trim sells for more than wood trim and does so more quickly on eBay and other sites. This cycle has been consistent in my 3-4 year search for nice, uncracked cosmos trim. During that search, I found that used cosmos goes for only 20% less than new. Wood trim- especially the lighter stuff sells repeatedly for less than 1/2 of cosmos. Put simply, My direct experience is that the market has determined that cosmos is worth more than wood. A fine example is the difference in auction price on wrapped vs cosmos. See the pic below. Note that the cosmos set doesn't come with the shifter. You can get one. For another $250. :rofl:

All of which is moot since the OP doesn't want to sell his trim.

Your example of a new set of trim and a wrapped trim is a cosmos away from apples to apples. "It only takes one buyer" can be applied to the price one person is willing to pay for any color trim, virtually anything.

If you go to vendors store you will find other colors of trim sets for the same price. Also, the price list is buy it now. Show me examples of apples to apples comparisons of sold prices and then you have something.

Wait, are we debating that cosmos trim is not any more valuable than wood? If so, I don't think it's much of a debate. Cosmos is worth double (at least) the price of almost all of the wood trims. Some have paid crazy for the dark grey poplar (I think that's what it was) but that's because, like cosmos, it was rarer.

IF propellarhead was able to find the data you asked for... it would bear out that cosmos does sell for more than wood all day, any day. I have also been looking for years. Unfortunately I have not saved all the ended ebay auctions so I can not provide data either.

I thought your actual position was that it doesn't change the value of the X5 as a whole vehicle... which I would agree with. But if the above, then I disagree obviously.

+1

If you're not in the market, you cannot know the truth.

Here is yet another example... a nice wood set sold for $230 complete. It'd be awesome to find some used cosmos auction to compare it with but you can't, you see. It's available only new at the $1300 price above.

I don't see why one cold not simply paint some wood trim Cosmos Black, which is what I want to do the rest of my car, with the exception of the 545i.

I would (will?) be the guy to make Cosmos un-rare in due time. Just like how I did with E39 trims.

But to the point, cosmos and smoke poplar are dam rare and worth a very good penny.

I almost had a set about a year ago, but some knob broke a few pieces in half :(

Strange how E39 guys will go nuts over light poplar, but it's "just another trim" in the E53. Where-as high polished black is the opposite!

I'd love some gloss black in my E39. :cool:

You can. Just takes good prep, good paint, good technique, then good finishing to polish it out. < Price that out at a shop, and you'll see why no one does it.

As would I.

Post from X5 Meister.........E53 trims to consider.(link)

I like Piano Gloss Black!

https://xoutpost.com/attachments/x5-...smos-black.jpg

Drop me a PM if you want some :D

I googled some more on this. It really does not seem that hard. Sure, I will need to buy a few things, but I will get the color I want and it will be paint and not vinyl. Here is video on you tube that I will be using.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtt_Ucb2vYs

I originally thought my Cosmos Black trim was painted up to the point I found out you could get that OE. I see no downside from trying since if I mess it up and can not redeem it, then I can join the vinyl crowd. This sure as hell seems easier than the alternator removal I did on my n62 545i.

Oh, don't get me wrong. Nothing about painting is particularly difficult. It is just VERY detail oriented and time consuming. I've done some very good things with rattle cans... but even better with a compressor and HVLP gravity feed gun. To get an idea with a rattle can project it takes me 2 - 3 weeks to finish a paint project, depending on the weather and how quickly I can get the paint to cure. That's if I want a primer, base coat, clear with a high gloss finish.

A computer case I painted high gloss white took a total of about 30 hours. Again, it's not terribly difficult, and is very rewarding done right. If you take it on I wish you luck and post your progress. :thumbup:

A couple of other options--DIY plast-dip or have it hydro dipped. Hydro dipped will look the best and be the most durable.

A singe random auction of any color used trim at any price does not confirm the going price in the market. Doesn't mean you are wrong but your examples are not applicable.

Rational thought is do what you want and you can get whatever color you want without buying used or new trim by several color changing application options.

I'm not really in this to be judged right or wrong. I *know* what I know and others know it as well. The idea that someone does not know the same things bothers me no more than the idea that someone wishes not to know.

There is no judgment. I fully understand your position and I am not challenging whether or not the trim is rare. My point is simply the examples you are using to substantiate your position do not. If those examples are the basis for your conclusion that the trim is rare that conclusion is flawed.

okie dokie

Yes the Smoke Poplar wood if the X5 E53 is very rare and expensive new!!!. It costs more than the cosmos black trim if you were to outfit the X5 interior with it. Just price out new sets of both and anyone can see.

Bah. It's a lot easier to make up impossible ways for others to demonstrate things like the cosmos being black and lit with stars. Craning that neck toward the darkened sky or using fingers to literally *look up* what is obvious is just too much work. :rofl:

BMW Genuine X5 Light or Dark Poplar Wood Trim Kit NEW | eBay

BMW OEM E53 X5 2000-2006 With Factory Navigation Cosmos Black Interior Trim Kit

BMW Genuine E53 X5 2000-2006 Graphite Metallic Interior Trim Kit Without NAV OEM | eBay

Three sets of new trim from the same Company.

Poplar is the highest price though we don't know if that is due to the cost of mfg. of poplar that is driving up the price, if it is cost and higher margin of profit or the demand is such that it will still sell with a much higher margin of profit.

It is an assumption that each of the offerings will sell at the buy it now price. However, it is a very good assumption that they have not priced their offerings so high they won't sell.

Unfortunately we don't know the sales volume of any of their offer which would give us some indication of the demand.

Since all three colors are still offered in new vehicles (not limited to BMW) we can also assume pricing of new OEM trim is not based on one being a classic, dated or still a current color in the marketplace.

If we could get everyone who is as member of the forum to 'vote' on the what trim they like the best by individual model and year all three were offered it wouldn't be statistically large enough sampling to draw a conclusion based on demand.

If we knew how many of each were in the BMW build numbers it would tell us how many sets of each were produced. While a good indication of current rarity we would not know how many of each has been offered for sale which would also help determine demand based on the largest number of a color purchased.

It is impossible to determine if demand is driving up prices of used trim. Condition, level of motivation to sell, actual price they sell are significant variables that would determine actual sell prices.

Watching the used market pricing over an extended period of time and drawing a conclusion that one color sells at a higher price than another certainly seems logical on the surface. However, it doesn't factor in that one color could consistently be in better condition than the others which could drive up pricing.

If BMW built a significantly less number of, let's say a 2002 X5 4.4, and, an X5 with that trim will sell at a higher price because of the trim that would be demand based pricing.

This perhaps unless effort is not to say anyone is right or wrong but that it is an opinion from individual perspective and experience. Doesn't matter if anyone agrees with all, some or any of this. In the end, each of us will pay some amount for what we want. If it was the least amount built in our particular year and model I can see an opportunity for bragging rights. I don't see any part of the decision making that should be based on an return on investment.

If you are wondering why I have taken the time to post this. I have the time, I'm having fun and most of my career was in marketing and brand management. It is certainly not to be offensive.

:dunno: I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head around your position. Wanting sales figures rather than believing those who have been looking, for years in some cases, seems a bit stubborn.

I KNOW tiag, cosmos, imola, dark poplar wood, and estoril trims sell for (and are much more coveted) more than wood through experience. I don't need sales figures for an enthusiast product. The forums are a much better gauge for demand on things of that nature. And this same holds true in all chassis mind you, not just the e53. Over my almost 20 years on different BMW forums the wood trims are consistently considered the less desirable and cheaper when sold.

And I'm not trying to offend by saying you are being stubborn... just that through my experience wood trim IS worth substantially less, I am trying to understand how that could not just be a known fact to a seasoned enthusiast.

Or you can just paint your own. Now everyone is happy. Joking aside, I think I will get that sander that kid used in the video and use that to do the prep work. I think hand sanding these trim pieces would be a pain. Maybe I can get one that will run off of my air compressor.

Do you have any cracks in your wood? What are you going to use to fill them? All of my pieces have hairline cracks that I am sure will show up once scuffed and painted.

Yeah I have some hairline cracks as well. I was going to buy both of the primers in the video and use that to fill them up. And I am googling what other options I have. I really think if you have the right sander, this is not too bad even with needing to fill up the cracks.

Just like painting anything... sand them out, and then use bondo, or better yet, evercoat to fill/smooth the trim.

The key to your conclusion is that it is your experience and observations. You may be absolutely correct but it is by no interpretation near enough to be a "known".

Look at it as if you were going to invest in the cost to sell one 'color' trim but only one. And in order to make a profit based on the investment cost you have to determine a price that it would sell within a specific amount of time and generate a profit that makes it worthwhile to invest your time and effort.

When a decision is made to enter a market or offer a specific product there is always risk that any criteria for a decision is misinterpreted or inaccurate. In a corporate environment getting funding is a competition with other requests. Over the years that has caused a evolution/expansion of criteria that became a requirement because those inclusions resulted in more and better returns on investments. A decision based on just my experience and observations would never make the agenda.

Anything perceived as stubbornness is based on 20 years spent preparing documentation to secure funding for new product and several more as the final say on who would got funding.

My input started with suggesting to do what you want without any of this but that got challenged based on the perceived value of Cosmos trim. I continued since my input is the part of the technical process to calculate sales volume and profit potential of product in fortune 500 companies. It is not an opinion it is small part of what must be done to be reduce the risk to the level that funding will at least be considered. Quite often new product suggestions begin with sales input that a competitor is selling a 'ton' of a certain product, making a s^%tload of money and we are "missing the boat, they can't make enough." Sales dept. has huge influence on product lines so it either took a few 'tons' of additional research and documentation to get the funding to move forward or pleasantly change sales priorities without a war.

I don't want sales figures or any other info. I couldn't care less who is right. Since at least currently there is no indication it increases X5 sell price I don't know why anyone cares. But I am not of the mind to be silent when readers may buy in to what anyone says is a certain truth, a known, when it simply isn't. You can certainly have an opinion, but a declaration this it is a known- none of us know for sure.

My input is to do what you want to whatever trim you want and enjoy the look that you created because it is what pleases you the most. I would also recommend hydro printing for a very durable perfect finish. I would never buy used trim. I did my engine cover and radiator cover in carbon fiber several years ago. Still looks new.

https://www.google.com/search?q=hydr...w=1010&bih=554

I was thinking of bondo but I am wondering if there is something more fit for the application that'll expand and contract with the wood/coating to prevent further cracking.

But it is. If you know it. See? ;)

At one time people knew the Earth was flat--and even with proof it wasn't some were still sure it was. I'm done.

What you want is flexible polyester glazing putty; any good bodyshop supply/jobber will have it... something like Evercoat Polyflex.

Or save yourself the hassle and just start with a set of trim from a 3.0i non-premium; it's not wood and the topcoat doesn't crack.

Well, OK. Like I said it doesn't bother me what people accept versus what they won't. Anyone is welcome to continue thinking the world is flat despite the folks around them providing proof and experience to the contrary. :nanana: